A Taxing Situation

This morning our kitchen table is sporting a new look. No, not a new, cute striped table runner in the pretty, pastel shades of spring, complete with an attractive bowl of fresh fruit and a flowery scented jar candle. No, today I’ve opted for a different look—piles of paper, a few ink pens, a calculator, some government forms and a huge bottle of Excederin.

Yep…today is the day I will do our taxes. Now mind you, I have had all of the needed forms, documents and papers in my tax folder for over a month, but there was just one item I simply could not find. And it is always the most important component to my yearly fiscal chore. I usually spend days looking for it. This needed component? The right time. And by right time I mean that perfect, lazy Saturday when Todd hasn’t worked the night before at his late shift at General Motors so he is more than happy to get up early and take all three of the darlin’ dependents out to a father-child bonding breakfast at the local Big Boy restaurant for their famous breakfast buffet. Then, they’d participate in further family bonding by either taking in a movie—if anything decent were showing—or perhaps burning up lucky lane three at the Redwing Lanes bowling alley where they’d laugh more than they’d bowl. Yes, my kiddos would have a fun, memory-making day with dear ole’ dad. All the while, I would be at home busily hunting and pecking at my keyboard, entering in the much needed data for the Ehman family to get their tax form in the mail and their rebate on its way.

Yep…in a perfect world, that would be the scenario.

This year, however, there has been no, I mean NO Saturday thus far in 2008 that would have supported such a set-up. So yesterday when I turned my calendar to April and glanced it over, still spying no Saturday that would work, alas, I had to declare today our official tax day. So, I am up early sorting receipts and papers into their proper piles, loading the software on my computer and counting the hours I have to get this done—in the midst of doing school with the boys, cleaning out my freezer before my upcoming quantity cooking day with my friend Julie, and attempting to finish it all before Kenzie returns home from classes and youth group at nightfall when she will promptly expect some computer time. YIKES!!!

You know, I used to read in the New Testament about the way the tax collectors were viewed. It was not so nice. They usually were lumped in with the pagans, prostitutes and other assorted sinners. I used to think it was because they were so dishonest, holding back some of the money they collected for themselves rendering them cheaters, liars and thieves. Well, I’ve changed my perspective. I know now it was because no one wanted to be around them since they were so grumpy and irritable, trying to deal with their W-2’s, 1099’s and other hostility producing documents while the April 15, 28 A.D. deadline loomed in the near future!! Argh!

Quick…somebody get me some hot coffee and a lot of dark chocolate. This is gonna be a looooooong day!

Number-crunching blessings,

Karen

P.S…….Keep checking back to my site for an organizational “Hop and Swap” I’ll be hosting next week in conjunction with my friend Lysa TerKeurstpresident of Proverbs 31 Ministries. It will be designed to help each other tackle those areas of our home that are in need of a desperate organizational overhaul. And yes…there will be a prize too! Details coming soon…

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I just have to say that I love these hop and swap times you gals do especially on organization. I can’t wait. I guess I am in a time where I want to be more functional and use space wisely. I love figuring it out.

Hope you tax time is going well! coffee and chocolate would be essential.

Meet Karen

Welcome to my digital home! If you were visiting my actual house, I'd grab a mismatched mug from my kitchen cupboard and make you some French press coffee. But for now, click on any of the social media buttons above this message to connect with me there and enter your email below to get additional free stuff too. I'd be honored to have you join our little online community.